


He'd Still Love Me

by donsboy



Category: CSI: NY
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, M/M, Misunderstandings, Reconciliation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-23
Updated: 2015-10-23
Packaged: 2018-04-27 16:42:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,431
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5056099
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/donsboy/pseuds/donsboy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Don deals with someone trying to come betwen he and Mac...</p>
            </blockquote>





	He'd Still Love Me

**Author's Note:**

> * * *

Don rolled over and shut off the alarm. Time to get up and face another day. Any other time he would be fine with that thought, but after last night, he wasn't so sure. He and Mac had had another rough night, arguing until the early morning hours. That's why Don wasn't too surprised when he realized that Mac had already left to go to the crime lab. That meant that Mac was still brooding over what they had argued about, and a brooding Mac was not a good thing. God knows what Don was going to have to face when he saw Mac again.

  


It was really very simple. Ever since Rose Foster came to work for the crime lab, she had been a bit over-friendly toward Mac. Stella was the first to notice it, but it was Danny who brought it to Don's attention. At first, Don just thought that Danny was just trying to yank his chain, but when he realized that Danny was serious, Don began to watch Rose a bit more closely. He didn't see anything overt at first, just Rose being Rose, or so Don thought. But, as time went on, Don saw things that really began to work on him.

  


The first time Don saw Mac and Rose having lunch together was when he knew for certain that there was more to the situation than he thought. Mac had called him earlier that day to say that he couldn't make it for lunch because he had some things to take care of. Don didn't think too much about it because this wasn't the first time that one or the other had to cancel lunch because of work. Don couldn't begin to describe the hurt and confusion he felt as he watched Mac laughing as he ate his lunch. Don turned around and beat a hasty retreat back to the precinct.

  


Don fretted about what he had seen for the rest of the afternoon. He had a mountain of paperwork to deal with, and that helped pass the time. When it was time to leave for the day, Don tried to call Mac at the lab but was told that Det. Taylor had left for the day. This was odd because Mac usually was the last to leave. Don went to the lab and caught Danny on his way out.....

“Yo, Don! What's up?”

“Danny, do you know what time Mac left?”

“Uh, nooo...”

“Come on, Dan, what time did he leave?”

“He left around 4:15, 4:30 maybe.....”

“Dammit!!!”

“What's goin' on, Flack?”

“I'm not sure yet, but I think I have a pretty good idea!”

  


Don went on to explain to Danny what he had seen earlier that day, and asked Danny to keep quiet about it until Don knew exactly what was going on.

  


Don tried to call Mac's cell one more time. He kept getting Mac's voice mail, and that was unusual. Mac always left his phone on in case he got called out for the lab. Don threw his phone across the room in frustration. Damn Mac Taylor to hell and back! How in the hell could Mac do this to him? They had been together for so long, and Don just knew they would stay together. Mac had explained in the beginning that he was afraid to try to love again after Claire died, but Don showed him that it was okay to feel, to laugh, and to love without fear.

  


Don had done his very best to be the kind of partner/lover that he felt Mac deserved. He'd helped Mac overcome his fear of sleeping, he helped with Mac's inability to relate to people on a personal level, and so many other things. Mac always claimed that Don had saved him. Don took that very seriously. He'd die and go straight to hell before he left some bitch walk in and take what he'd worked so goddamned hard to hang on to! Don made up his mind right then that he was going to fight to try and keep Mac, and God help ANYBODY that got in his way.

  


As fate would have it, Don and Mac got called out on the same case the next morning. Don was nothing but cool and professional, which threw Mac off a bit. Mac was expecting Don to be a bit angry and more sarcastic than usual. Don gave Mac and Danny all the pertinent information and started giving his men instructions and questioning witnesses. By the time Mac and Danny got finished processing, Don was long gone. Mac was irritated by this because he had hoped for a chance to really talk to Don so he could find out just how pissed the dark-haired detective was.

  


By the time Danny and Mac had finished logging all the evidence in and got ready to start processing, it was nearly time for lunch. Mac was pleasantly surprised to see Don walking down the hall near the elevators.....

“Don! Hey, Don!”

Don stopped walking but didn't turn around. Mac caught up to him , stopped in front of the man and said; “My office...Now!”

Once they made it to Mac's office, Mac turned and shut the door.....

“I'm glad you came by the lab...I was hoping I would get a chance to talk to you. I thought maybe we could go to lunch today.”

“Well, you thought wrong! I already made plans with Danny for today...”

“Well, break them....”

“What? Like you did me for Rose yesterday???”

“Wait a minute...”

“No, YOU wait a minute! I saw the two of you at Vinetti's yesterday. You told me you couldn't go to lunch because you had some things to do for work, but you lied!”

“Don, it...”

“What? It wasn't what it looked liked?”

“No, it wasn't...”

“Then what in the hell was it, then?”

Mac looked away from Don, and that action told Don everything he needed to know.

“Tell ya what, Mac, I may ignorant about a lot of things, but I'm NOT stupid by any means. If this bitch means that much to you, you can have her, but know this: she will NEVER be able to do the things for you that I can, and she will never love you the way I do!”

With that, Don turned and stalked out of Mac's office leaving Mac, Danny and two startled lab techs in his wake..... 

Mac tried to get in touch with Don throughout the afternoon. After the spectacle in his office at lunch time, Mac hadn't seen or heard from Don at all. He went so far as to send Danny over to Don's precinct to get a message to the detective, but Danny called back and told Mac that Don had left for the day. Mac took that as a bad sign because Don never took off work. While Mac was trying to find Don, Rose stopped by his office to discuss some results. They talked longer than was necessary and ended up making plans for later that evening. By the time Rose left the office, Mac decided that what he had to say to Don could wait.

 

  


 

That night, while Mac and Rose were out and about, Don sat at home trying to decide what to do. He knew that he didn't want Mac to leave him for Rose, but he was at a loss as to how to keep it from actually happening. The only thing he knew to do was to try and appeal to Rose's sense of fairness and hope she would understand. Mac probably hadn't told her about Don, so Don decided to let the bitch know who she was up against. He decided that the only thing that was important was that no matter what she did, Mac would still love Don. After everything they had been through together, and everything Don had done for Mac, Rose didn't have a chance in hell!

 

  


 

The next day found Mac and Don thrown together again by another case. Mac was distracted by Don's mood because the detective was laughing and joking as if the events of the day before never happened. He even smiled at Mac a couple of times. Danny knew that something was off about the situation, and couldn't wait to get Don alone so he could find out what was up. He told Don to meet him at the lab as soon as he could. Don laughed and said he would be there but that he had something to do first.

 

  


 

By the time Mac got back from the crime scene, Danny was nearly finished with the evidence. Mac made his way to his office and was returning some phone calls when he heard a loud crash and heard a woman screaming at someone. He dropped his phone and hurried out into the hall toward the noise. What he saw made him freeze in his tracks because this was NOT what he was expecting. Don and Rose were in the break room with the door shut, and Mac could see that the atmosphere was beyond tense.

 

  


 

Mac made his way to the break room and snatched the door open, Just as he was about to enter Rose turned toward him. He could see the tears on her face, and could also see Don's look of satisfaction. He walked in and shut the door.....

 

“What in the hell is going on here?”

 

“Your detective friend has been filling me in on a few details that you conveniently forgot to tell me.....”

 

“No, Rose, I was telling you what is.....

 

“What are you talking about, Don?”

 

“Well, it's simple, Mac. I just let Rose here know that we were together, and that she needed to find another man to get her hooks into.”

 

“Mac, is this true?”

 

“Yes, Rose, it's true...”

 

“But, I thought you liked me.....”

 

“Rose, he might like you, but he loves me.....”

 

“Mac...?”

 

“No, Rose, you and me was talkin' here...I told you that no matter what you might do for Mac, he'd still love me. I've been there when nobody else was. I helped this man overcome a lot of things, and I've stood by him through all of it. The best thing you could do is get your own goddamn man and leave mine alone!”

 

With that, Don stalked out of the break room and down the hall. Rose turned to Mac with tears in her eyes.....

 

“Rose, I'm sorry I didn't tell you about me and Don. I know I should have. I didn't realize that you felt more for me than just friendship...”

 

“But we had lunch and dinner, and we went for a walk in the park.....”

 

“I know we did. I was doing that as your friend.....”

 

“Mac, you can't be serious!”

 

“Yes, Rose, I can. Don told you the truth. You can never be more than you are right now. A friend.....”

 

“I don't know if I can still be friends with you, Mac. As a matter of fact, I quit! "

 

  


 

Rose stomped off to the elevators leaving Mac standing there shaking his head. Dealing with Rose was the easy part of this whole mess. Mac knew that dealing with Don was going to be a whole different ball of wax.....

 

Mac headed to his apartment after he left the lab. He knew he was going to have to deal with Don and the aftermath of what had (or hadn't) happened with Rose, and it wasn't something he looked forward to. What he'd said to Rose was true. He'd only gone to lunch and dinner as a friend, and he knew he should have told Don the truth about all of it. Mac knew that Don would have been jealous, but he had no reason to be. Maybe that was the problem...Don was unsure of Mac and their relationship.

 

  


 

Mac arrived at Don's place in record time hoping that his dark-haired detective was home. Mac knocked on the door and waited. He knocked again and when he didn't get an answer, he used his key and went in. He called out to Don, but got no answer. He heard a noise coming from the kitchen and headed in that direction. He found Don sitting on the fire escape drinking a beer. He walked toward Don when the detective spoke.....

 

“What the hell are you doing here?”

 

“I came to see you, Don...”

 

“Why? So you could raise hell at me for what happened today?”

 

“No, Don, I think I understand why today happened...”

 

“I seriously doubt that!”

 

“Don, please come inside so we can talk about this...”

 

Don didn't say anything but came inside anyway. He walked past Mac into the living room and sat down heavily on the couch.....

 

“So talk, Mac...”

 

“Don, I want you to know that nothing happened between Rose and me, and I'm so sorry if I made you think something did.....”

 

“The thought did cross my mind, Mac.”

 

“I can see that between my lying to you and her actions that you would think that...”

 

“So what you're saying is that I really had nothing to worry about?”

 

“Not a thing! I know that I don't always say it, and that I don't always show it, but there will NEVER be anybody else for me except you. You have done more for me in the time we've been together, and you've cared for me when I thought nobody did at all, and I'll always remember that. Don, you showed me what it was like to feel again, and that's something that I'll always treasure. I knew you would be jealous of Rose, and I know I should have handled things better. I can't undo that, but I know that I won't let it happen again.....”

 

Don looked up at Mac, and Mac saw the tears in his eyes. He sat down next to Don and put his arm around the detective.....

 

“Baby, I'm so sorry. I know I'm an idiot. I want you to know that I'm going to do my level best so that you don't regret giving me another chance...”

 

“Mac, I just want us to be happy. I get jealous and insecure because I love you so damn much, and I don't want to lose you. You are my world, and I couldn't stand it if you weren't here.....”

 

“Well, I guess it's a good thing I'm not going anywhere, huh?”

 

“Yeah, I guess it is...”

 

  


 

THE END


End file.
